Three days later, the inner candidates gathered at the entrance to Tianxuan's mist valleys for their first joint mission. Fog curled through the ravines, where shifting qi created false paths and hid spirit beasts. Frostfire Herbs grew where hot and cold qi met; each pair had to gather twenty before dusk. The mission would test more than technique: the valley's illusions preyed on doubt, and its beasts punished any break in formation.
Lin Chen prepared in their cave as the sun rose over the peaks. He packed healing pills, talismans, essence water, and array flags into a spatial pouch. His military training had taught him to plan for threats before they appeared. "The valleys are unpredictable," he said. "Stay close. We'll face them together."
Su Qingyao tightened her silver-white robe and checked the herbs in her satchel. "I studied the sect maps. Frostfire Herbs grow where hot and cold qi meet. My Frost Phoenix Bind can stabilize illusions; your Dragon Fury Roar can break them."
They meditated together before the mission, guiding their qi into balance. His golden essence warmed her frost; her cool qi steadied his dragon soul. When the flow settled, they shared a brief kiss and rose to meet the others.
She smiled, her gentle warmth radiating like sunlight on snow, leaning into the embrace. "And you're mine. Let's make this mission a step toward greater heights."
The deacon's summon rang through the peaks like a distant bell: "Inner candidates to the valley entrance—joint mission commences!"
They joined the group at the foggy chasm's edge, where Elder Yun and the peak masters oversaw the proceedings. The air was thick with anticipation, the mist coiling like living serpents at the valley mouth. Huo Yan stood with his burly companion, his arrogant posture slouched yet defiant, flame robes flickering aggressively in the wind as if eager for conflict. His eyes locked on Su Qingyao with covetous hunger, jealousy twisting his features like embers in a dying fire—he whispered venomously to his partner, "The valleys are full of 'accidents'—perfect for isolating pairs. That dragon fool won't see the lure coming."
Elder Yun addressed the candidates solemnly, his scholarly voice cutting through the tension like a steady blade. "Gather twenty Frostfire Herbs per pair—proof of your legacy harmony. But beware: the valleys' illusions prey on inner weaknesses, the beasts on disunity. Return by dusk; failures will bar you from advanced legacy refinements. Begin!"
The pairs dispersed into the mist, qi flaring to pierce the fog's veil. Lin Chen and Su Qingyao moved in tandem, his protective steps slightly ahead, dragon-enhanced senses probing the haze like invisible claws, detecting subtle shifts in qi flow that betrayed illusions or lurking dangers. "Left path—the qi distortion is weaker there," he said, his voice steady and commanding, guiding her with the precision of a seasoned warrior.
She followed closely, her frost threads extending like delicate scouts from her fingers, probing the air with gentle yet precise control. Her resolve was evident in her focused eyes, scanning for nexus points where hot and cold qi converged. "Agreed. I feel a herb cluster ahead—let's circle the cliff illusion first."
They progressed methodically through the winding ravines, the fog playing tricks on the senses—whispers echoing like lost voices calling names, phantom paths leading to sheer drops. A deceptive herb mirage appeared first, a field of glowing Frostfire plants tempting them forward with illusory scents. Su Qingyao's Frost Phoenix Bind activated swiftly—ice chains lashing out elegantly from her palms, encasing the mirage in a crystalline web that froze it solid, revealing the illusion as it shattered into harmless qi shards, exposing a hidden chasm below. "Close call," she said softly, her gentle control turning potential disaster into a valuable lesson, her nurturing spirit prompting her to note the pattern for future reference.
Lin Chen's Dragon Fury Roar built low in his throat, a controlled echo reverberating through the mist to shatter residual phantom echoes, his ruthless efficiency clearing the path without wasting a drop of qi. The roar's sonic waves dispersed the fog briefly, revealing the true terrain—a nexus point with genuine Frostfire Herbs pulsing with dual essence. "Your bind saved us time," he acknowledged, his protective gaze softening slightly as he harvested a few stalks, handing them to her with care. "Perfect synergy—dragon force and ice precision."
Deeper in the valleys, the challenges escalated. A pack of Mid-Innate illusion wolves ambushed from the fog—shadowy forms lunging with claws that shifted between real and phantom, their howls carrying disorienting echoes that amplified doubts. Lin Chen's protective instinct surged like a tidal wave; he intercepted the alpha wolf with lightning speed, his golden dragon claw shadow manifesting in a flash of light, clashing mid-air with bone-shattering force. Scales faintly appeared on his arms as he twisted, his movements a blend of past-life combat prowess and draconic might—decisive, economical, wasting no motion as he protected her flank from side attacks.
Su Qingyao supported seamlessly, her Frost Phoenix Bind evolving into expansive veils that froze three wolves mid-leap, her eyes sharp with unyielding resolve as she channeled the legacy with gentle yet deadly accuracy. The chains wrapped their limbs, turning the beasts' momentum against them, her nurturing spirit ensuring the binds restrained without unnecessary cruelty—freezing just enough to immobilize. "Behind you—two more flanking!" she called, her voice steady despite the chaos, directing him with the trust of a partner who knew his strengths.
Lin Chen spun, his roar variant unleashing targeted sonic waves that stunned the pack, vibrations cracking illusions tied to their hides. His cold facade unbroken, he dismantled the remaining wolves with palm strikes—cores exploding in qi shards that they absorbed together, the energy surging through their linked qi channels. He turned immediately to her, concern etching his vigilant features as he scanned for injuries. "Unharmed? That alpha's venom qi was aimed at you—too deliberate for random beasts."
She nodded, her gentle care turning to him as she brushed a speck of mist from his shoulder, her touch soothing. "Thanks to your claw. But... I smelled flame traces on them again. Huo Yan's handiwork, no doubt."
Their bond deepened in the heat of battle, qi syncing instinctively as they harvested the exposed Frostfire cluster—plants glowing with hot-cold essence, mirroring their own harmony. "We're halfway," she said, packing the herbs carefully in her satchel, her nurturing side ensuring they remained pristine for evaluation. "Your roar cleared the path beautifully—it's like the dragon soul anticipates my binds."
He smiled faintly, a rare crack in his cold exterior, his protective arm around her waist briefly. "And your veils give me openings. We're unbreakable."
As they pushed further, the valleys' illusions grew more insidious—personal visions manifesting from doubts. For Lin Chen, a mirage of Su Qingyao abducted by shadowy figures appeared, her voice calling for help in distress. His heart clenched, the past-life trauma of loss flaring, but his resolve held—he shattered it with a roar, golden qi dispelling the fog. "Not real," he muttered, his protective drive pushing him to check her immediately.
For Su Qingyao, a vision of Lin Chen fallen in battle, his body cold and lifeless. Tears welled in her eyes, but her gentle strength prevailed—she bound the illusion with ice chains, freezing it into harmless shards. "Illusion," she whispered, her voice firm, drawing comfort from his presence.
They emerged stronger, the experience forging their harmony deeper—their qi now blending unconsciously, like two halves of a whole.
From a high ledge, Huo Yan watched them. Beneath the serpent nest, a black seal was etched into the stone, its mark shaped like a sun swallowed by a crescent. Huo Yan did not notice it. When his flame qi brushed the mark, it pulsed once, and the serpents stirred. He smiled. 'Let's see if that perfect pair survives a swarm.'